It’s the 22nd century. Humanity has expanded across the galaxy, though not without incident; a conflict called the “Expansion War” diminished some Earth powers while elevating others. In place of the traditional nation came the new concept of “Trans-Govs” a body that controls at least one solar system and at least one phase gate. Thus, anyone who owned enough space could become a trans-gov – including corporations.

Two of the most successful trans-govs include Alterra, which manufactures all sorts of colonizing equipment, and the Mongolian States, which made considerable gains during the war. Despite the name, the Mongolian States are not strictly Mongolian, though Mongolians make up the majority; the remaining population is a mix of different ethnicities who, if asked, would call themselves Mongolian the same way anyone born in the United States would call themselves American.

The Mongolians have a loose central government at best, otherwise content to leave the governing of independent territories to the corporations (or “clans”) who own them. While several clan chiefs exist, one of the most successful is Paul Torgal, CEO of a mining company known as Torgal Corp. While en route to a Torgal space station to begin a new mining operation, Paul diverts his ship, the Degasi, to uncharted ocean planet 4546B in order to scan it for mineral wealth. There, he dooms himself, his son, and their bodyguard to a life of exile on a hostile world.